2020 and Books 📚 It’s Monday! What are you reading? 05/25/2020

Hosted by: Book Date

2020 has been strange, sometimes unbelievable, sometimes trying for so many (if not most or all), and we are only rounding out of in Month 5. I haven’t posted anything yet this year. I had goals and ideas for what this blog would be for me this year and not one has panned out. (Actually, the last Monday post I made was me talking about blogging better.)

When I started the year 2020, I decided my only “resolution“ was that I would cut back on my library loans, so I could get to more of the books on my shelves. Then COVID-19 happened, and I checked out a huge stack of books and borrowed even more digitally, thinking I was going to get so much reading done. That did not happen.

Now I take a break and sit my home library, and I see I need to cut down on at least 200 books to make my shelves less cluttered and more in line with my visions.

I’m not sure how, or if, I can manage this time.  I’ve thinned my collection of books massively in the past 10 years (see Book Hoarding and check out the book hoarding tag to see some of this journey).  I feel especially overwhelmed during everything else that life has thrown toward me. However, if I’m going to manage, I believe the best tool may be this blog. I used to do a regular post called “Cozy Cull”, and perhaps I can reboot something like that.  At the least, maybe recording my reading more regularly might prompt me to read more frequently, as I used to do.

Which brings me to...*Note: This isn’t everything, but we’ll leave it at this for now. The goal is to have NO double stacked books, including paperbacks, and have some space for decorations and slow growth aka new books coming in...

Can you help me? What should I read first? 

Should I start with a cozy, fantasy, or YA?  Or I haven’t re-read the Nora Roberts books in forever, and there are a LOT of them, should I just start parting with them?

I just finished a library book, The Bookwanderers (Pages & Co., Bk 1) by Anna James (Pages & Co., Bk 1).  I have a number of partially started library books (mostly audio, some ebooks) that just keep getting put back on hold and checked out and returned over an over again as well.  These are titles that I've been working on over an extended period, some for years now. I also have that stack mentioned previously, but I'm thinking I might just return those unread (else, I might never make it to my own books).

Also, what are you reading? It’s okay to be an enabler.

The Library (Children's Book)

Title: The Library

Author: Sarah Stewart; Illustrated by David Small

Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux

ISBN: 9780374343880

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

Seriously? You have to ask?  I saw it and I needed to read it.

Comments:

The (fictional) life of Elizabeth Brown.  Elizabeth Brown isn't entirely like me, but there are similarities.  I do love reading, and have spent much time reading in many places.  I have walked and exercised while reading.  I've stayed up late reading, and while never successfully checking out books I personally owned, I did want to.  I even began the beginning stages (before quickly petering out).  And I most certainly understand having books everywhere.  I believe I've decided there are too many before I got quite to Elizabeth's stage of book hoarding, though.

Anyway, regarding the rest of the story... I loved the generosity of spirit and the sharing her love of reading that Elizabeth had.  What a big action to take.

I read some reviews, both positive and negative, that continuously bring up Elizabeth's lack of involvement in favor of books.  I didn't find this so sad as some.  Perhaps because Elizabeth does have friendships throughout the book - and not just in the end.  Because that is one of the criticisms.  Basically that she is lonely and friendless until the end when she has given all and lives with a friend - another elderly lady.  But she has friends that she loaned the books to with her made-up cards.  The illustration shows a friend smiling as she watches Elizabeth leave.  Another point mentions books becoming building blocks for "busy little guests." What?  People think she just had young children wander in and out unattended?  Or perhaps they came with someone(s).  Someone(s) that were visiting Elizabeth  ... Just something to think about.

Anyway, the rhyming makes for a nice read-aloud, and the illustrations are charming.  I enjoyed it, but I'd say from the reactions I saw, it isn't for everyone.

Help! I need advice about too many mystery books...

I'm trying to clear out books again.  But this time I need to break down and give up on some of the cozies I've been collecting but not reading.  I have boxes.  I'd like to try them, but I'm simply not going to have the chance.  I mean there are BOXES of them.  They are scattered, so books by one author may be in multiple boxes. 

Any cozy mystery authors or series you definitely recommend I keep?  Do you have any ideas about how I could handle them?  Because I simply can't read or keep them all...  Can you help?  I'm desperate!


Bookshelves by Piotr Siedlecki

Box 1:

Sarah Atwell
Sandra Balzo
Miranda Bliss
Nora Charles
Laura Childs
Jeffrey Cohen
Casey Daniels
Jo Dereske
Yasmine Galenorn
Melissa Glazer
Parnell Hall
Laura Levine
Kathryn Lilley
Hailey Lind
Sheila Lowe
Nancy Martin
D.R. Meridith
Tim Myers
Leslie O'Kane
Suzanne Price
Sandra Robbins
Wendy Roberts
Michele Scott
Mary Stanton
Leann Sweeney

That's just one box!  I have more.

I'm considering bundle giveaways if there's an interest, but first I have to figure out what to keep and what to give away.

Operation: TBR Reduction ... Check-in #1 (July 2012)

So this concludes my first month working on Operation: TBR Reduction.  I believe a report is due.

I still have some work to do with finding some rhythm and adjusting the rules to fit my situation.

For instance, in addition to library books not counting, keeper re-reads can't count.  If it's not leaving the house....

Another point.  Do I have to actually READ the books?  Or does giving them up count?  I just sold several books in a yard sale.  Most were already set aside for this purpose prior to accepting this challenge.  Those certainly don't count.  But I added some more this month.  The dilemma is that I didn't read most of those additions. Do they count?

And third.  I have to actually track this stuff!!!  I didn't write down how many books came in or were read.  I am sure, though, that I read more qualifying books than I brought in.  Mostly because I think I only brought in maybe one book.

The point of all this rambling is that I have areas to improve on for next month.  But I believe I slipped by with a passing grade in  Operation: TBR Reduction for the month of July 2012.

Operation: TBR Reduction

I just discovered this personal challenge started by Stephanie at Once Upon a Chapter via Fetch Me My Fainting Couch.

Since I was not aware of it prior to May 1, I'll officially begin my own efforts on July 1. If you've seen any of my multiple posts about Book Hoarding and Cleaning Out, you know I can really use this.

The rules, per Stephanie, are as follows:

*Read more books than I bring in per month. No excuses, no justifications, no wheedling. Just reading. *ALL books (with the exception of library books, they’ll just cancel themselves out) count towards my numbers. This includes review requests, trades, purchases, etc., etc.

EDITED: *Re-reading keepers doesn't count since they won't be leaving the house.

Wish me luck!

Cleaning Out, Part II ... A story in pictures

You may have been waiting for the (semi)-promised pics of my clean out attempt, so here we go...

[Note: Please ignore the shelves in the background.  Those aren't mine.]

Before (I'd started but hadn't gotten far)

Before, Angle 2

During ... Books were sorted in boxes on a folding table

And now, what we've ALL been waiting for ... THE RESULTS

Books to be sold in rummage sale this summer

Being picked up by Amvets mid-April

What I kept (ignore the cooler)

I also had 3 boxes that were going to a local nursing home and ended up going to ReadingTree.org (no pics, sorry). 

As you can see, I still have work to do.  It took 3 nights (about 9 hrs).  The AmVets boxes still need lugged upstairs, I still have more books in my room, etc., and there's still quite a bit left.  But I parted with books I didn't think I would, and I'm happy with my progress.

Cleaning Out

I have the next five days off of work.  The idea was to spend time with family, rest, and get going with some projects that had been on hold.  The primary project being that of going though my stash of books in the basement.  Weeding out, organizing, etc.

You might remember my post about book hoarding back in '09.  Well I've managed to let go of some of those with my decluttering challenge in early '11.

The rest (the bulk, plus those I've picked up since '09) now reside in my parents' basement.  I'll be trying to clear them out further (with the help of my mother and possibly my grandmother - a family effort).  I hope to get them to a manageable number.  I'd like to be able to find the books I'm looking for when I look while also not feeling overwhelmed by something that's supposed to be my pleasure.

I intend post pics (I'm bad about that though, so no guarantees) to keep you all up-to-date.

De-Cluttering Personal Challenge

A library in the area had a display of books on organization.  Looking back, my guess is it was aimed at those with New Year resolutions.  All I know is that I was drawn in, and ended up checking out The Clutter-Busting Handbook: Clean It Up, Clear It Out, and Keep Your Life Clutter-Free by Rita Emmett.  So I've been reading it and feeling inspired.  I don't really expect my life to become clutter free.  However, I do hope to at least make the one area of my life where I am clutter-central (my books) a little more manageable.  This will mean, for at least part, donating.

So... do you have any ideas about where I can donate?  I do have some obvious (to me) options... the local library, the local Goodwill, or a Reading Tree box.  (I'm afraid online giveaways aren't really an option... packaging and postage cost money I can't really afford.)  But do you have any more creative or personal ideas?  I figure the more personal and creative, the more motivated I might be to actually give the books up. =)

Blogs and Giveaways (or Not)

This is NOT a giveaway post.

It does have a point (in a meandering sort of way).

Please (at least) check out the end. I would love comments and opinions...

I mentioned (in a comment) on my post about book hoarding a little while back that I hoped to hold my first giveaway on this blog this April.

Last year I held one through the eHarlequin community. I worked all year since then to increase my offerings. In addition to a number of category romances (large-print included), I can now offer some general (paranormal, contemporary, and maybe a couple historical) romances, some mysteries, and a few children's chapter books.

All are are Christmas books ... the giveaway would be called "Christmas in April" ... You can see what I did last April (and details about why Christmas and why April) here.)

Anyway, I had great plans, and by the time April came around...I couldn't (can't) afford the giveaway. My only other opportunity for 2010 being in August (I think. If I remember correctly, at least one state holds the event the giveaway was based on in August). It doesn't feel right, but if I'm able to financially by then, I'll do it anyway.

In the meantime...

What are your thoughts on Book Blogs and giveaways? Do you prefer them? Can you do without?
I know many book blog readers just want to discuss (and discover) books (and socialize with people of like interests).

But I also know giveaways can really build up readership. (Though I'm not sure mine would have had that effect anyway. The giveaway I planned is very themed and heavy on the category/series romance.)  Have you held giveaways before?  How did it go?  What positives and negatives did you encounter?

Book Hoarding ...

My place can get pretty bad, er, messy. To the point that my mother will come help me clean it (that sounds pathetic, I know). And lately she's taken to making comments like, "Are you sure you're not a hoarder?" I've assured her not - even had her watch the show Hoarders to make my point.

But then I started thinking about my book collecting, and how, among book lovers, I've "heard" people proudly proclaim themselves "book hoarders." Some, from what I've seen and read, are "worse" than me. Others, I'm definitely "worse." And I'm always wanting more! So I thought I'd share, and you can tell me... are you a book hoarder? =)

[Note: My place has been cleaned recently, the books spread out more as time goes on.]

First, the bookshelves in my room (the paperbacks are triple stacked - deep - and the hardbacks are double)...

Then there's the boxes and totes in the closet...

Books that have stacked up on the computer desk...

Swap (paperbackswap) books...

Whatever library books I have checked out...

Sitting at the table with me =) ...

Table books...

The books in my china cabinet (mostly bible books, travel books, and my autographed books)...

[Note: The china cabinet isn't usually open; the cats were very interested in sniffing things out.]